I worried that we were going to slide into deeper economic turmoil and perhaps even violence. I feared that our division was aiding a gradual slide into plutocracy -- governance by the elite, the super wealthy. In other words, we were being divided and conquered.

There's a prevailing school of thought in GOP circles currently underwriting much of the opposition to immigration reform that supporting the measure would lead to the demise of the Republican Party. It's wrong.

What little power the government still has to regulate campaign finance donations -- already whittled to a minimum by Citizens United -- is being steadily eroded by funding cutbacks, intimidation, bureaucracy and an inability or refusal to enforce the few rules we have left.

Some media organizations should consider giving up their spot on the campaign bus and trying to stand out from the crowd by devoting those resources to reporting on things that are at least as likely to have a significant impact on the election.

There is another story about how all this gridlock came to be, fronted by the question: "Why didn't the Democrats landslide the cruelest, most ignorant, big-business-indentured Republican Party in its history during the 2010 and 2012 Congressional elections?

Despite the aggressive missionary program and public relations campaign on the part of the Mormon church, most Americans don't know any Mormons, perceive very little in common with them, and feel, at best, ambivalently toward them.

Ignorance prevails and it instills in us all that we should not have our own sense of individuality, but instead that we are expected to be identical to others whose skin pigmentation is the same as ours.

Under Democratic leadership, Wisconsin was an economic leader. Now, with Republicans in charge, Wisconsin is jogging in place while the rest of the nation has caught up, and some Democratic-led states like Minnesota are beginning to accelerate away.

We cannot say for sure if this market was manipulated, but if manipulation could be successful, it would be worth it. If a few million dollars could boost fundraising and morale, than it would be a good investment next to one more television advertisement.

No one likes to lose and nobody wants their losses hung out to dry. Last November, I did both when I ran for the United States Senate. It wasn't just losing the election. That was no surprise. It was losing by so much. The magnitude was sobering.

From fighting for working families to ensuring that Americans have access to equal rights, Democrats are on the right side of voters and the right side of history, and we are in a solid position moving into the elections later this year, in 2014, and for elections to come.

About Elections 2012

In the 2012 election, all eyes are on President Barack Obama's campaign for a second term, along with congressional and gubernatorial races taking place across the country. While Republicans look to regain control of the Senate, Democrats are hoping to take back seats in the GOP-controlled House. The general election will take place on Tuesday, November 6.